I have a new friend who is a Scot just out of the RAF. He bought himself an acrylic Black Watch tartan kilt this last weekend at a festival he and I attended. (He bough it against my urging, by the way.) He went into one of the portaprivies to change into it and out of his great kilt. He asked me if I liked it, and I mentioned that all the traditionalists I knew would tell him that it was too long. It hung to the bottom of his knee, which is where I wear mine. As soon as I said the word "traditionalist" he started on a long and to my American ears, only half coherent rant on self righteous kilt police, and how if he's going to wear something, he's going to be comfortable, arrogant traditionalists be damned, etc etc. He wants a Hay tartan kilt (as that’s his clan association and he doesn't have one, so I directed him to USA Kilts), he wanted a Utilikilt until he saw the price, which was when I suggested Flamingo and Amerikilts, which made him very happy- two contemporaries for the price of one Utilikilt! He was like a kid in a candy store with all the New World Celtic products that he was seeing. He was surprised at how those of us in the New World have embraced our past, and he wanted to be a part of it. So that’s my latest experience with a native born Scot. Everything he said and did were completely contrary to the intolerance to change that I have experienced in other places. It was very refreshing. (I was wearing my black Amerikilt, black hose, and Dress MacLeod flashes that day, and mentioned to him that I was feeling too lazy that morning to wear a real kilt. He looked at me and said "That looks like a real kilt me! I want one!")

And I have to say- the Scottish gentleman at the Highland Park whiskey tasting was a very interesting and enjoyable person to chat with, as well.